Human Rights Defenders (HRDC) whose founding member Timothy Mtambo is in the Tonse cabinet has told Malawians affected by police brutality not to sue saying the Lazarus Chakwera administration will not compensate them.
As of today, seven people have been killed in cold blood by the Police including an innocent student of the Malawi Polytechnic. Just yesterday, the Police shot to kill three people in Zomba.
But the grouping which opposed police brutality in the previous Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration and organised what the then President Peter Mutharika described as violent protests told pub owners in Lilongwe “affected by police brutality…not to sue”.
The remarks were allegedly said by the grouping’s chairperson, Gift Trapence. Accompanied by a lawyer, Trapence is said to have told the representatives of the police brutality that they should opt for talks with the Inspector General of Police George Kainja.
However, commenting on a Facebook post on police brutality, law professor Edge Kanyongolo said police brutality victims are required to be compensated.
“All victims of excessive use of force by police officers are entitled to compensation. That’s the law,” said Kanyongolo.
Apart from the recent killings, Police have also been beating up people on the streets and in markets on the pretext of enforcing Coronavirus prevention measures.
Last week, law enforcers broke into closed pubs where they were captured on security cameras stealing cash and alcohol.
